Oregon goldendoodle information
goldendoodle breed overview
Goldendoodles - also known as Groodles - are a hybrid between a poodle and a golden retriever. The goldendoodle is one of the favorite poodle crossbreeds, impart due to the personable temperaments of both the poodle and the golden retriever. Our experience in Oregon is that Goldendoodles come in a variety of sizes and coat types, and while each dog is different, there are certain temperament commonalities and trends across the goldendoodle breed.
Hopefully, this will offer a helpful overview of the goldendoodle generations, sizes, traits, and some of the temperament themes to help you explore whether a goldendoodle would be a fit for you here in Oregon! While different people may define these differently, our standards and classifications are defined by the Goldendoodle Association of North America (GANA), which is the only breedclub dedicated to Goldendoodles.
We’ve also responded to some general Goldendoodle questions too!
Goldendoodle Sizes
Petite Goldendoodle
Petite Goldendoodles are classified as under 14 inches tall, and less than 25 pounds in weight.
Mini Goldendoodle
Mini Goldendoodles (miniature Goldendoodles) are between 14-17 inches tall, and are approximately 26-35 pounds.
Medium Goldendoodle
Medium Goldendoodles are between 17-21 inches tall, and are between 36-50 pounds in weight.
Standard Goldendoodle
Standard Goldendoodles are the biggest classification of the bunch, being over 21 inches tall and more than 50 pounds.
Goldendoodle Coat Textures
Curly
Sometimes Goldendoodles have a curly coat. This is when the Goldendoodle inherits two curl alleles, so it’s denoted at (+/+). As the name goes, a curly-coated groodle has tighter curls throughout their coat, much like the classic poodle coat. While some people prefer this texture, it may also need more grooming.
Straight
Another Goldendoodle coat variety is a straight coat, and is denoted as a -/- curl. The Goldendoodle’s coat tends to be almost straight, leading it to be more open and a little easier to brush. However, the Groodle coat may not have the same volume as the wavy or curly.
Wavy
A Goldendoodle with a wavy coat - denoted as +/- curl - has a little bit of a curl throughout their coat, but it does tend to be looser, and has more of a flow to it. There can be some variety with this, as some Goldendoodles have more of a crimped look (like Brownie), while others have an open curl (like Rosie).
Flat
A flat-coated Goldendoodle is a little different than the other. This is because it lacks a copy of the “furnishing” gene. Furnishings refer to the long muzzle hair. This leads to a coat that is more similar to a Golden Retriever. Flat-coated Goldendoodle puppies tend to have short muzzle hair and shed more.
Goldendoodle Generations
F1 Generation Goldendoodle
An F1 Goldendoodle is the puppy from the breeding of a poodle and golden retriever. So an F1 Goldendoodle’s genetic makeup is about 50% poodle and 50% golden retriever. This would be a great option for anyone who would love a strong hybrid of both parent breeds, as F1 Goldendoodles tend to embody a good diversity of both breeds. However, some people can feel that F1 Goldendoodles are more prone to shed than some other generations.
F1b Generation Goldendoodle
An F1b Goldendoodle is what is called a “backcross”. This is because one parent is an F1 Goldendoodle, and the other parent is either a poodle or golden retriever. The most common backcross is a poodle, and many people favor this because an F1b Goldendoodle can shed less and produce less dander - and have more hypoallergenic properties - than an F1 Goldendoodle. This Goldendoodle backcross would be around 3/4 poodle, 1/4 golden retriever, and so may more resemble a poodle than a golden retriever.
However, sometimes people do backcross a F1 Goldendoodle with a golden retriever. While these F1b Goldendoodles would resemble retrievers more than poodles, they’d most likely shed more and resemble the flat-coated Goldendoodle above. So, it would be helpful to confirm which breed is backcrossed with the F1 Goldendoodle for the F1b.
F1bb Generation Goldendoodle
An F1bb Goldendoodle is a double-backcross, where an F1b Goldendoodle is paired with either a golden retriever or poodle. Breeders may choose the golden retriever to increase the amount of GR genetic material in their line, while they may choose the poodle in order to increase the Goldendoodle puppies hypoallergenic qualities. While F1bb could refer to backcrosses with both breeds, it typically is used to note a double-backcross with the same breed.
F2 Generation Goldendoodle
F2 Goldendoodles are the offspring of two F1 Goldendoodles. Because of this, the F2 Goldendoodle is around half poodle and half golden retriever. Some people can prefer this because of the increased amount of GR genetics, the offspring can be pretty diverse - especially with their coat types where one litter could have any of the four different coats. Due to this increased diversity and spectrum of unpredictability, some breeders avoid breeding F2 Goldendoodles.
Multigen Goldendoodle
A multigen Goldendoodle refers to any generation/mixture that extends beyond these generations (such as the offspring between an F1 and F1b Goldendoodle). While some may try to pursue some exact denotation (such as F2b, F2bb, etc.), the distinctions tend to blend together at this point and not make much of a difference. Multigen Goldendoodles can be a bit of a sweet spot, as these lines will be bred with specific intentions and have a strong amount of both golden retriever and poodle genetics, while optimizing for hypoallergenic qualities.
Goldendoodle Coat Colors
Goldendoodles come in a variety of colors, ranging from jet black to pure white, and almost everything in between. Below are a few examples of different colors. Many Goldendoodles are red, apricot, cream, or white in color, which mimic a Golden Retrievers coloring. However, there can also be phantom Goldendoodles (black with than markings; envision a Doberman or Rottweiler), brindle Goldendoodles (resembling tiger stripes), merle Goldendoodles (where areas of black and tan coat is diluted in varying amounts), and the classic black Goldendoodle.
Goldendoodles can also have a varied amount of white piebald spotting on their coat. If the Goldendoodle’s coat is less than 50% white, it’s referred to as “abstract”, while more than 50% is called “parti”. One other note; a Goldendoodle’s coat colors can fade over time due to some unknown factors, making apricot Goldendoodle puppies look cream as adults, or black Goldendoodle puppies fading to gray as they age.
Below are some examples of possible Goldendoodle coat colors, however the gallery is far from exhaustive!
Parti
Apricot
Phantom Merle
White
Red
Black Abstract
Goldendoodle Critiques
While Goldendoodles are close to the perfect dog, here are some common critiques of the Goldendoodle.
High Energy
Goldendoodles can have an above average energy level. This means that your Groodle will need daily exercise/activity, lest they become frustrated with their surplus energy, which can result in destructive habits.
Separation Anxiety
Since Goldendoodles are so socially driven, they can have a tough time being left alone. While socialization and training can help, it’s less than ideal to leave a Goldendoodle alone throughout your workweek.
< Hypoallergenic
While many Goldendoodle breeders may claim that their Golden Doodle are “hypoallergenic”, this is an overstatement. Dog dander doesn’t only come from shedding, so people with dog allergies may still be allergic to low or non-shedding dogs, such as doodles.
Goldendoodles in sum.
Whew, what a journey.
Hopefully all this Goldendoodle information helped you make some decisions and ask some questions.
We obviously think they Goldendoodles about as close to angels as you can get. If you too think that sharing life with a Goldendoodle is like heaven on earth, reach out to us at High Desert Family Doodles about our upcoming Goldendoodle puppies!
